Semiconductor dice are typically produced by creating several identical devices on a semiconductor substrate, using known techniques of photolithography, deposition, and the like. One type of semiconductor die includes bond pads distributed across the entire surface of the die for supporting bumped contacts. The bond pads are in electrical communication with metal layers disposed on the die and with transistors, resistors, and other electronic circuits integrated within the die. After fabrication, the substrate may be “bumped” by forming bumped contacts on each of the bond pads. The bumped contacts are typically formed of solderable material, such as lead-tin alloy. Bumped dies are often used for flip chip bonding, where the die is mounted face down on a supporting substrate, such as a circuit board or lead-frame, by welding or soldering. The mounted die may then be encapsulated or “packaged” to form an integrated circuit.
In practice, certain physical defects in the substrate, as well as certain defects in the processing of the substrate, inevitably lead to some of the dice being “good” (i.e., fully-functional) and some of the dice being “bad” (i.e., not-fully-functional). Thus, the dice are typically tested before being mounted on the supporting substrate. One type of conventional testing process involves using a testing device to make a plurality of discrete pressure connections to the bond pads on the substrate and provide signals (e.g., power and data signals) to the dice. However, such physical contact may damage the bond pads, which may ruin an entire die or even the entire substrate.
Another type of conventional testing process involves testing the die or substrate subsequent to being bumped by making discrete pressure connections to the bumped contacts. However, such physical contact may damage the bumped contacts, which may also ruin the bumped die/substrate. Specifically, the bumped contacts can become deformed during testing such that they are unusable to attach the die to the supporting substrate. Moreover, testing bumped substrate or die results in additional expense and undue delay in the manufacturing process if the substrate was bad after fabrication.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for semiconductor components capable of being more easily tested without causing damage thereto, as well as for improved test procedures for such semiconductor devices.